01.29.24

Hoeven: NDSU-Grand Farm Partnership Selected Under National NSF Competition, Will Receive Up to $160 Million Over 10 Years

Continues Senator’s Work to Bolster North Dakota’s Leadership in Agriculture Research, Including Advancing AgTech Agreement with ARS, Funding to Establish New Ag Policy Center at NDSU

FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today announced that North Dakota State University (NDSU) and Grand Farm have been selected under a National Science Foundation (NSF) competition for advanced agricultural technology research and development. Specifically:

  • NDSU and Grand Farm, in partnership with the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo (FMWF) Chamber of Commerce, the Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation and the North Dakota Tribal College System will receive:
    • Up to $160 million over 10 years to carry out the project, entitled North Dakota Advanced Agriculture Technology Engine for Food systems Adapted for Resiliency and Maximized Security (FARMS).
    • $15 million in the first two years of the project.
    • The collaboration is one of ten applications awarded with eight announced today that were selected to receive funding across the nation.
    • The funds were awarded under the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program and will support efforts to leverage NDSU and Grand Farm’s existing agriculture research expertise to address global food challenges, including ways to address agricultural workforce shortages and improve best practices.

As the Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, Hoeven worked to secure the application’s approval, having made the case for the project to the NSF Director.

“This award of up to $160 million over 10 years is a major investment in NDSU and Grand Farm’s efforts to transform the future of ag production. By securing this funding for the North Dakota Advanced Agriculture Technology Engine, in addition to supporting their continued partnership with ARS, we are empowering this collaboration to give farmers and ranchers tools that will strengthen their operations, reduce costs and improve yields,” said Senator Hoeven. “That’s good not only for the production of food, fuel and fiber, but it will spur growth for a variety of industries, including our state’s dynamic tech sector and manufacturers. That means North Dakota and our nation will continue to have a competitive edge in the global marketplace, while ensuring a high-quality and low-cost food supply for American consumers.”

“On behalf of the FARMS core partners, I want to thank Senator Hoeven for all his support of this inaugural NSF Engine award supporting North Dakota’s innovations in technologies for advanced agriculture. Those technologies draw from NDSU ag researchers, who bring unparalleled expertise in the diversity of the 42 crops produced in North Dakota. Senator Hoeven’s deep understanding has made him an effective advocate because he sees how investments like this continue to transform the future of agriculture research for the nation while catalyzing economic development in North Dakota,” said Colleen Fitzgerald, Vice President for Research and Creative Activity, North Dakota State University.

“Collaboration is essential to drive transformative impact in agriculture technology. With our fellow NSF Engine partners, we are building an ecosystem accelerating innovation at the speed of trust. This support not only energizes our work but also moves us closer to a future of sustainable and pioneering advancements in AgTech,” said Brian Carroll, Chief Innovation Officer, Emerging Prairie and Co-Founder, Grand Farm.

Today’s announcement builds upon Hoeven’s work to bolster agriculture research at NDSU and in North Dakota. As ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, Hoeven has:

    • Established and funded an AgTech Cooperative Agreement between NDSU, Grand Farm and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to advance precision agriculture research.
    • The senator secured $1 million for the cooperative agreement in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 and included $2.5 million to continue the partnership in the Senate’s FY24 funding legislation.
    • Secured $2 million in the Senate-approved FY24 Agricultre Appropriations Bill to establish a new agriculture policy research center at North Dakota State University (NDSU). The center would:
      • Help address farm and agribusiness challenges through in-depth policy and economic analysis.
      •  Bring North Dakota expertise to policymakers in Washington, D.C.
      • Complement the work conducted at similar centers, including:
        • The Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri.
        • The Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M University.
        • The National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
    • Advanced more than $50 million in agriculture research funding for North Dakota as part of the Senate’s FY24 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which has been approved the full Senate. 

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